Plantlet regeneration of Kappaphycus alvarezii var. adik-adik by tissue culture

Three color morphotypes of Kappaphycus alvarezii var. adik-adik (brown, green and red) collected from a farming area in Tictauan Is., Zamboanga City, Philippines were used as explants in the study in order to micropropagate 'new' plants. Individual sections of sterile Kappaphycus alvarezii var. adik-adik, initially cultured in a 48-well culture plate containing ESS/2 + E3 + PGR, released callus cells after 4-5 days of incubation at 23-25 degrees C, 13:11H LD cycle and 10-15 mu mol photons m(-2) s(-1) light intensity. True calli were formed after 29-35 days following dense formation of filaments or undifferentiated round cells at the medullary and inner cortical layers of the section. Plantlets (2-3 mm long) of Kappaphycus alvarezii var. adik-adik were able to regenerate after 98, 150 and 177 days in-vitro among the reds, greens, and browns, respectively. This study established successful methods for the production and regeneration of tissue explants of Kappaphycus alvarezii var. adik-adik which can possibly be used to mass produce 'new' cultivars for land- and sea-based nurseries as sources for commercial farming.